Pattern indicator



Oct. 8, 1940. M, HENDRICK ET AL 2,217,016

PATTERN INDICATOR Filed Nov. 16, 1939 '3 SheetsSheet 1 I'snventorS.

1; MHUR ICE HEHDRICR BB Vnraov I l HBERHETHY attorney Oct. 8, 19 M. HENDRICK ET AL PATTERN INDICATOR Filed Nov. 16, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventors: a MFJURICE Hsrwmcx' HBEKHETHY 7 8 4 Vmzov M.

attomeg Oct. 8, 1940.

M. HENDRICK ET AL. 2,217,016

PATTERN INDICATOR Filed Nov. 16, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3nnentor8. Q 9 Mame/cs Hsnomcx 8H VARD MHBERHETHY (Itto neg Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNHTE PATTERN mmce'roa Maurice Hendrick and Vardy M. Abernethy, Cliffside, N. C.; said Abernethy assignor to said Hendrick Application November 16, 1939, Serial No. 304,816

6 Claims.

This invention relates to textile machinery and more especially to a mechanism which will enable an unskilled worker to duplicate and verify pattern chains for dobby looms. When cloth is 5 woven by a dobby loom it is necessary to provide a chain corresponding to the pattern which is to be woven. This chain comprises a plurality of bars linked together, each bar having a plurality of pins or pegs therein. When the chain is 10 placed in the dobby head for controlling a particular pattern the bars are caused to successively pass, step by step, beneath the dobby fingers which are raised by the pegs to cause corresponding loom harnesses to be actuated. These 5 chains are often very long, especially where a complicated pattern is being'woven, and since it is necessary to provide a chain of this type for each dobby loom, the chain manufacture becomes quite a problem where many looms are in oper- 20 ation.

Heretoiore, wherever a pattern chain was being produced for a piece of goods, the designer would mark out on a print the manner in which the pins were to be positioned in each particular link of the chain. Then it was necessary for a skilled mechanic to take this print and construct the chain accordingly. If several chains were to be produced, the same amount of labor was necessary for each chain. In other words, a master 30 chain had to be produced directly from the prints by a skilled worker for each dobby loom that was to be operated in the mill.

It is an object of this invention to provide a chain duplicating apparatus which can be oper- 35 ated by a master chain which chain is constructed by a skilled mechanic. This master chain will be placed in the apparatus hereinafter to be described, and as it passes through the apparatus it will actuate a suitable mechanism to indicate the location of the pins on a chain under construction which is simultaneously passed through the apparatus. Since the master chain can be passed through the apparatus as many times as desired, it is seen that any number of duplicate chains can be constructed and verified by unskilled labor.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus of the class described having means for simultaneously passing therethrough a master pattern chain and a pattern chain to be constructed, with indicating wires disposed between the pattern chains and means for laterally shifting the pattern chains relative to the wires 55 whereby the apparatus can be adapted for use on pattern chains having a different pin hole spacing therein.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with 5 the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a pattern chain duplicating and verifying mechanism;

Figure 2 is an elevation looking at the righthand side of Figure 1 and also showing the foot operated actuating mechanism;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 44 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view of one type of link with the pins removed which forms a portion of a patternchain that is adapted to operate in the mechanism disclosed in the drawings;

Figure 6 is a plan view of another type of chain v link which may be used in the apparatus, the pin hole spacing in this link being different from the pin hole spacings shown in Figure 5. r

Referring more specifically to the drawings (Figure 5) the numeral Ill denotes a link which forms a part of apattern chain for a dobby loom. This link has a plurality of holes ll therein in which suitable pins 12 are adapted to be inserted. In the construction of pattern chains, the pins 12 I are placed in certain holes and omitted in other holes so that a particular pattern will be woven when the chain is placed in a dobby head. The designer usuallymakes .a print designating the particular location in each bar where the pins l2 are to be placed, then a skilled mechanic constructs the chain accordingly.

Each link of the chain has eyelets l4 secure at each end, and these eyelets are connectedto each otherby means of rings l5, so that a continuous chaincan be formed. The biggest problem in the construction of thesechains is the accurate placing of the pegs or pins l2 within the holes I I. As heretofore stated, the primary object of this invention is to eliminate as much skilled labor as possible in this chain construction. In the ,apparatus hereinafter to be described, it will be noted that only one chain, namely a master chain l6, will be constructed by a skilled mechanic and then as many exact duplicate chains as desired I can be formed byunskilled labor merely by passing the master chain through the apparatus to serve as a guide or indicator while an operator aflixes pins in the bars of a chain being made as a duplicateof the master chain. Whenthe master chain l6 has been formed with allof thepeg's or pins l2 properly spaced therein, it is mounted upon spaced rollers W, said rollers having flutes IS in the peripheries to accommodate the links H] of the chain. These rollers are fixedly secured around the shaft 59 which in turn is rotatably mounted in brackets 26 and 2! secured to side frames 22 and 23 respectively. The brackets 20 and 21 have slots 24 and 25 therein which slots are penetrated by bolts 25 and 21 respectively for adjustably securing the brackets in position upon the side frames 22 and 23.

The right-hand end of the shaft i9 has a sprocket 38 fixedly secured thereon. Upon this sprocket, a chain 3i is mounted which chain is also mounted upon another sprocket 32 thereabove which is disposed upon a second'shaft 33. This shaft 33 is rotatably mounted in brackets 34 and 35, said bracekts being secured to side frames 22 and 23, respectively. It is therefore seen that the two shafts I9 and 33 are caused to rotate in unison at the same rate of speed since the sizes of the sprockets 35 and 32 are identical. The position of the shaft 33 can be adjusted vertically very much in the same manner that vertical adjustment is provided for the shaft is therebelow. This adjusting means comprises slots 5? and 38 in the brackets 35 and 35; whichslots are penetrated by stud bolts 39 andfllfi respectively and the stud bolts have their ends threadably secured in the side frames 22 and 23.-

Means have also been provided for taking up excess slack in the chain 3i. fl'hismeans comprises an idler pulley 65(Figure 2) which is rotatably mounted upon studshafts 55 extending f from bracket ll and the bracket 4'! is secured to the side frames by anysuitable means such as stud bolt 48. When it is desired to vary the amount of slack in the chain 3i it is only necessary to loosen the bolt 48 and rotate the bracket 4] and its associated sprocket 45 to the desired position and then tighten the bolt.

The intermediate portion'of the shaft 33 has spaced hubs 55, fixedly secured thereon, said hubs having a plurality of flutes Si in the peripheries thereof, into which the, links it of an embryonic pattern chain 52 are adapted to fit. The pattern chain 52 is the pattern chain which is under construction, and which is to constitute a duplicate of the masterpattern chain Hi therebelow on the roller l1, when complete In order to construct the pattern chain 52 so that it will be identical to themaster chain It, a suitable indicating inechanismniust be controlled by the pins l2 within the chain Hi to designate the correspondingposition on chain 52. Thisindicating mechanism comprises a plurality of fingers 54 which are pivoted atone end to a shaft 55, said shaft; being disposed between the side frames 22 and 23. The spacing of fingers 54 upon the shaft 55is one-half the spacing-of theholes I! in the bars Iii (Figures 1 and 5). Therefore, when a chain having pin hole spacing, as shown in Figure 5,1 is used only every other finger will serve a usefulpurpose. -However, the'excess number of fingers will be used when a chain is being constructed havingbars with a closer pin spacing such as the bar shown in Figure 6. These fingers have their free-ends (Figure; 3), normally dispcsedabove-the rollers-'8] and the master chain it so that the pins I2 within the chain will pass beneath the fingers and cause them to be rotated upwardly and about the shaft 55. When a pin l2 is not disposedbeneath a finger54 the free ends thereof are adapted -to;rest upon ahorizontallydisposed bar. 55 which 'isdisposed be.-

tween the side frames 22 and 23. The free ends of the fingers 54 are separated and held in position against lateral movement by suitable upstanding pins which have their lower ends mounted in the bar 56.

Resting upon the free end of each of the fingers 54 is a U-shaped wire 60, mounted for vertical sliding movement in plate 6|, said plate being pivoted upon a shaft 62 which is supported by the side frames 22 and 23. The upper ends of the wires 68 are disposed in close proximity to the upper rollers 55 and also in close proximity to the links of chain 52 as they pass thereby. For example, when a link H) in the chain H5 is disposed in uppermost position on hubs I! (Figure 3) an upstanding pin l2 will actua-te the corresponding finger 54 to cause the upper end of a wire 60 to be raised above the upper edge of plate El and to a position close to a hole in one of the links of chain 52. When the wire is thus raised, it is only necessary for an unskilled laborer to insert a pin in the indicated hole. In other words, each time a link of master chain I6 passes beneath the fingers 54, the pins therein will serve to raise wires 6!] so that the pins can be placed in the links of the chain 52 which is under construction at a corresponding position; consequently the chain 52 under construction will be identical to the master chain l6 therebelow.

The shafts l9 and 33 together with their respective rollers H and 5B are normally rotated in aclockwise direction, step by step, one chain link at a time. For example, when the master chain 16 is advanced one link the chain 52 under construction is advanced a link by means of the sprockets 30 and 32 and the connecting chain 3L. This advancing may be effected manually by means of hand wheels 65 or 6B, or it may be eifected by means of a suitable foot operated mechanism as shown in Figure 2. This foot 0perated mechanism comprises a ratchet 6B which is fixedly secured upon shaft IS. The teeth in the ratchet 68 are adapted to be engaged by a pawl. 69, the lower end of which is pivoted as at N! to a horizontally disposed lever II. This lever H is pivoted as at 12 to the'frame 23. A spring 15 normally holds the hook on the upper end of pawl 69 out of engagement with the teeth of ratchet 68.

Connected to the lever H and pawl 69 as at is a downwardly depending link 74 and the lower end of this link is pivoted as at to the intermediate portion of a foot lever 16, said lever having one end thereof pivoted as at T! to a supporting table 18 which table is adapted to support ,theindicatin'g' mechanism. It is seen by referring to Figure 2 that whenpressure is applied to the free end of the foot lever 76 the pawl 69 willengage a notch in the ratchet 68 to cause the shafts I9 and 33 together with their associ ated hub-s I l and 50 to rotate in a clockwise manner. Since there are eight flutes in each of the rolls l1 and 50, and since there are also eight notches in the ratchet 68 it is evident that for each foot operation, each of the rolls l7 and 50 will be advanced exactly one flute and this will meanthat for each operation the chains l6 and 52 will beadvanced upon each roller a distance of one link. i

In order to insure that the rollers l1 and 50 will remain in position after each operation so that the pins can be inserted inthe chain 52 under construction, it is necessary to provide suitable notched disks 80 and BI upon the shafts I9 and 33 respectively (see Figures 1 and 4). The notches in these disks are adapted to be engaged by rollers 82 and 83 on the levers 84 and 85 which levers are pivoted as at 86 and 81 respectively to side frames 22. Springs 88 and 09 are provided to normally hold the rollers 82 and B3 in engagement with the notches of disks 80 and 8! respectively. Of course when it is desired to advance the rollers I1 and 50' a distance of one chain link, the rollers 82 and 83 will be forced out of their notches and then allowed to fall into the next succeeding notch in their respective disks. The springs 88 and 89 are sufficiently weak to allow this action to take place and yet they are sufficiently strong to hold the rollers and their respective shafts in position while the pins I2 are being inserted within the links of the chain 52 which is under construction.

By referring to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the plate BI which holds the indicating wires 60 can be adjusted to move the upper ends of the indicating wires toward or away from the bars of the chain 52. This adjusting mechanism comprises an eccentric 90 which is secured to the inside face of the frame 23. The periphery of this eccentric is adapted to support the upper end of plate 60. When it is desired to increase the distance that the upper ends of the indicating wires occupy relative to the bars in the chains 52, it is only necessary to turn the eccentric 90 and thereby rotate the plate 60 in a counterclockwise manner about the shaft 02.

It will also be noted by referring to Figures 2 and 3 that an apron 92 is provided beneath the chain 52 at a position between the rollers I1 and 50. This apron primarily serves to prevent the upper chain 52 from becoming entangled with the chain I6 therebelow and the supporting means for this apron comprises the shaft 55 upon which the dobby fingers 54 are mounted.

Figure 6 shows a slightly different form of link 94 which is used in dobby loom chains. This link has a plurality of staggered holes therein into which pins I2 are adapted to be inserted. The spacing of the holes 95 is slightly different from the spacing of the holes II in the link I0 as shown in Figure 5. When a chain formed of links of this type is used in the above described mechanism, it is necessary to shift the hubs I1 and 50 relative to the indicating wires 60 and laterally of the apparatus so that the upper ends of these wires, when actuated, will coincide with the desired holes 95 in the bar. When a chain made of the bars I0 is being used, the shafts I9 and 33 and their corresponding hubs I1 and 50 are shifted to their extreme right-hand positions as shown in Figure 1, but when a chain made of links 94 as shown in Figure 6 is being used, it is necessary to shift the shafts and their rollers slightly to the left to cause the indicating wires to properly coincide with the holes in the chain under construction.

The mechanism for shifting the shafts l9 and 33 together with their hubs I1 and 50 comprises a vertically disposed bar I00, the central portion thereof being penetrated by an elongated shaft IOI. The upper ends of bar I00 fit against the faces of disk hubs 80 and 8| respectively. Around the shaft IOI, a compression spring I02 is mounted which has one end thereof abutting against the bar I00 and its other end abutting against the frame 22. Shaft IN is slidably mounted in the frames 22 and 23 and has a collar I03 fixedly mounted on the intermediate portion thereof at a point close to the inside face of frame 22. A lever I0 1 is also pivoted to the inside face of frame 22 as at I05. 1 The lower end of this lever has a notch I00 therein which is adapted to partially encircle the shaft I03. Also the lower edge of the lever I04 at the notch I06 is provided with cam faces I0! which serve to wedge in between the collar I03 and the inside face of the frame 22, and thereby cause the shaft IOI together with the bar I00, shafts I0 and 33, and the rollers I1 and 50 to be moved to the right in Figure 1. Of course when the lever I04 is rotated in a counter-clockwise manner in Figure 4, the shaft IOI together with its associated parts are moved to the left in Figure 1 under the force of compression spring I02. In other words, when the lower end of lever I04 is disposed between the collar I03 and the frame 22, the rollers I1 and 50', together with the corresponding chains I6 and 52, are moved to the extreme right hand position in Figure 1; whereas when the lower end of the lever I04 is moved from between the members 22 and I03, the compression spring I02 will move the rollers I1 and 50 together with their corresponding chains to the extreme left hand position. This shift merely provides a minute adjustment as to the position that the upper ends of'indicating wires occupy relative to the holes within the bars of the chain under construction.

When it is desired to vary the over-all length of the rollers I1 and 50 to accommodate chains having longer or shorter links therein it is only necessary to loosen the screws IIa and 50a. to adjust the positions of the bottom and top rollers on shafts I9 and 33 to accommodate the length of chain which is being used.

Another important use of the above described apparatus is that of rebuilding dobby chains. It is a well known fact that a large percentage of new chains in mills are built from old ones simply by re-arranging or shifting the pegs from one hole to the other in the bars. By making additions and subtractions where necessary in the old chain, the amount of labor is considerably less, because many patterns have a good bit of similarity; consequently many of the pins in the old chains do not have to be disturbed. Of course the re-worked chain is placed on the top cylinder 50 and the master chain is placed in the bottom cylinder I'i.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

We claim;

1. Mechanism for use in duplicating a dobby chain for looms, comprising a rotatable member for holding a completed dobby chain having bars and pegs therein, a second rotatable member for holding a dobby chain devoid of pegs but whose bars have holes therein corresponding to the holes in the bars in the dobby chain having pegs, means for rotating the two chains step by step, a plurality of indicators movable by the pegs in the completed chain into close proximity to the holes in the other chain to indicate where pegs are to be placed.

2. Mechanism for use in duplicating a dobby chain for looms, comprising a rotatable member for holding a completed dobby chain having bars in its bars, means for holes in the bars in the dobby chain having pegs, means forrotating the two chains stepby step,

.a plurality of indicator fingers movable by the pegs in the completed chain into close proximity to the holes in the other chain to indicate where pegs are to be placed, and means for shifting the chains laterally of the indicators to cause other pegs in the completed chain to actuate other indicators to indicate additional holes in the other chain Where pegs are to be placed. 7

3. Indicating apparatus for use in the formation of pattern chains for looms, wherein the pattern chains comprise a plurality of parallel bars linked together in spaced relation and having a plurality of holes therein for the reception of pegs, rotatable means for holding a completed pattern chain, other rotatable means for holding a pattern chain devoid of pegs but having holes in its bars, means for intermittently advancing both pattern chains, a plurality of indicating fingers movable by pegs in the completed pattern chain into close proximity to the holes in the bars of the incomplete pattern chain to indicate which holes in the incomplete chain are .to receive pegs.

4. Indicating apparatus for use in the formation of pattern chains for looms, wherein the pattern chains comprise a plurality of parallel bars linked together in spaced relation and having a plurality of holes therein for the reception of pegs, rotatable means for holding a completed pattern chain, other rotatable means for holding a pattern chain devoid of pegs but having holes intermittently advancing both pattern chains, a plurality of indicating fingers movable by pegs in the completed pattern chain into close proximity to the holes in the bars of the incomplete pattern chain to indicate which holes in the incomplete chain are to receive pegs, and means for shifting both of the pattern holding means along their longitudinal axes to thereby cause the indicator fingers to be moved upwardly by pegs in a pattern chain having pegs arranged difierently from those in the preceding form.

5. Indicating apparatus for use in the formation of pattern chains for looms, wherein the pattern chains comprise a plurality of parallel bars linked together in spaced relation and having a plurality of holes therein for the reception of pegs, rotatable means for holdingv a completed pattern chain, other rotatable means for holding of the incomplete pattern chain to indicate which holes in the incomplee chain are to receive pegs, means for yieldingly holding both of the pattern holding means in position while pegs are inserted in the incompleted pattern chain.

6. Indicating apparatus for use in the formation of pattern chains for looms, wherein the pattern chains comprise a plurality of parallel bars linked together in spaced relation and having a plurality of holes therein for the reception of pegs, rotatable means for holding a completed pattern chain, other rotatable means for holding a pattern chain devoid of pegs but having holes in its bars, means for intermittently advancing both pattern chains, a plurality of indicating fingers movable by pegs in the completed pattern chain into close proximity to the holes in the bars of the incomplete pattern chain to indicate which holes in the incomplete chain are to receive pegs, means for shifting both of the pattern holding means along their longitudinal axes to thereby cause, theindicator fingers to be moved upwardly by pegs in a pattern chain having pegs arranged differently from those in the preceding form, and means for yieldingly holding both of the pattern holding means in position while pegs are inserted in the incomplete pattern chain.

' MAURICE HENDRICK.

VARDY M. ABERNETHY. 

